star dust
by Scintillating Golden Leaves
Summary: It isn't until you begin to walk away and catch Lily's eyes for a fraction of a second before you realize your mistake- you're James bloody Potter, you don't do homework until the last minute. The essay is due next week and she knows that. She sees the anger and regret in your eyes and she knows. She opens her mouth to say something but you've already walked past her.


As you peer through your glasses, you wonder if it was healthy for people to enjoy causing themselves pain. _Masochism._ Probably not- it isn't like you want to watch Lily laugh, Lily's redred hair bounce, Lily's ohsogreen eyes sparkle at the words the slime ball is spewing.

You ground your teeth and crumple up the piece of paper you were doodling on, hurling it to the ground and smashing it flat with your heel. What was so great about the slime ball anyway? So maybe he isn't as bad of a person than you originally thought, what with him being able to keep Remus' secret and all. But hell, _you_ were the one that saved the slime ball. Did she really have to go rushing towards him after they had limped out of the willow? And _-urgh._ The image of her planting a full kiss on his lips is still burned into your memory.

You shiver involuntarily. You had helped him, a person practicing the dark arts for goodness sakes. Yet Lily still believes you are a good-for-nothing brainless idiot (the latter part being completely false and she _knows_ that) and that he is her knight in shining armor.

Snape? A hero? Please.

You let your eyes wander and find it resting on the Slytherin table. Mulciber is there, his beady eyes carefully scrutinizing the slime ball and his girlfriend. He leans across the table and whispers something to Avery.

You are not sure why, but the way they seem to be conspiring nags at you and without knowing so, you rise and begin to make your way to them.

"-not sure any more. Is he serious or-?"

Avery scoffs. "Don't be a git. Of course he's not. You and I both know that, I don't see why you're so concerned about-"

"Potter," Mulciber coolly interrupts.

Avery whips around, wand in hand. He stabs your chest with it. "Your business?"

You smirk and hold your hand up in mock surrender. "At ease, men," you say smoothly as you step around the wand and take a seat lazily next to him. "What's got your knickers in a twist?"

Mulciber frowns. "Sod off, Potter."

"Is that anyway to treat a fellow comrade?"

"_Comrade?_ Don't make me laugh."

You chuckle lightly. True, you were never exactly, ah, _friendly_ towards the Slytherins. But that was hardly an excuse for all this hostility.

"I'll be blunt then, shall I? I heard you talking. I know you mean Snape."

"Really?" Avery snaps. "Good for you then, Potter, ten points to Gryffindor for your astounding ability to state the obvious."

"If only you were a prefect," you remark. You pause for a moment. "My point is, it sounds like to me Mulciber's jealous."

A beat of a second passes.

"What?"

You nod. "Yes. Now, either of Snape or Evans, I'm not certain but you don't want them together."

You are not sure why you are doing this, intentionally provoking Voldemort's soon-to-be minions but that is not the point because you are and it's too late to turn back now.

"Why would I be jealous of that _Mudblood?_" Mulciber hisses.

You pointedly ignore the unforgivable word. "Several reasons-"

"James?"

You turn at the sound of the almost timid voice and nearly have a heart attack. There, standing in front of you is Lily Evans, staring at you with wide, doe-like eyes and a shy expression. Gripping tightly onto her arm is the slime ball but you hardly notice that.

"Yes?" you aren't even aware you're speaking, but you are; your mouth is moving and words are spewing out of it. "What can I do for you on this fine, fine day Miss Evans?"

She shifts her weight onto her left leg. "That- I- uh- what- what are you doing here? At this table?"

"Making conversation," you answer simply. As you say it, you take a glance around the room. With a start, you realize people have been staring at you, and the Great Hall has gone silent. You flash them a grin before turning back to Lily.

She doesn't look the least bit convinced but decides not to argue against it. "Right." She clears her throat somewhat awkwardly. "I just came here to... to thank you. For, um, saving Severus. Yeah."

You force your facial features to arrange themselves into an amused expression. "Very articulate, Evans."

She flushes.

You regard Snape. "It was no trouble at all," you say to Lily though you do not break eye contact with the slime ball.

"Oh. That's... good then, I suppose," she replies, managing a weak smile.

Nobody speaks for the longest while.

You sigh, stretch and get up. "It was lovely talking to you lot, but I really must get around to doing that Transfiguration essay." You roll your eyes. "Honestly, McGonagall never lets up."

It isn't until you begin to walk away and catch Lily's eyes for a fraction of a second before you realize your mistake- you're _James bloody Potter_, you don't do homework until the last minute. The essay is due next week and she knows that. _Sheknowssheknowssheknows. _She sees the anger and regret in your eyes, she knows. She opens her mouth to say something but you've already walked past her.

You wonder if it makes you a lesser person for wishing you hadn't saved Snape. Maybe Serius was right- he did deserve it.

But you know it doesn't matter now. All that does is the acrid taste, the bitterness in your mouth.

* * *

**A/N: Haven't written in a while, whoopie. Too lazy to check over, just let me know if I made some nonsensical mistake.**

**For the HPFC OTP boot camp. Drabble no. 1. They'll be posted in a collection here.**

**Confession: I joined that boot camp two weeks ago and just wrote this. Finally. Yay.**


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